Robot mower runs on solar power

Robot vacuum cleaners are slowly taking off, and robot lawn mowers have been around for over a decade. What’s new this month, however, is a mower that not only trims the lawn all by itself, but does so using solar power. Sweden’s Husqvarna just introduced the world’s first solar/electric hybrid robot lawnmower, which has no exhaust emissions and uses approximately the same amount of energy as a standard light bulb. Cleverly targeting time-starved consumers as well as tree-huggers, Husqvarna claims: “It’s been calculated that using Automower Solar Hybrid to cut the lawn in an average garden can save 40 hours of labour every year—the equivalent of an extra week’s holiday.” Owners just lay out a boundary cable that tells the robot where to stop cutting, saving the delphiniums from an untimely death. Cuttings don’t need raking, either: the grass is cut so finely that it can be left where it falls and acts as a fertiliser. Combining two powerful trends—convenience and eco-friendliness—has to be a winner. Who’s next? (Related: Indoor composting made easy.)